After making the playoffs and winning the NFC South in two straight seasons but only winning one playoff game, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are looking to take the leap this offseason.
One way they are attempting to do that, per an NFL draft expert, is drafting a wide receiver in the first round to give quarterback Baker Mayfield another weapon to work with.
Expert Predicts Buccaneers Draft Ohio State WR in First Round
Despite this not being known as an elite wide receiver class as we’ve seen in years past, there are still a couple of first-round talents that could help a team as soon as this upcoming season.
One of those names is Ohio State WR Emeka Egbuka, who NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks has the Bucs drafting in the first round at pick No. 19 in his latest mock draft. Here is what Brooks has to say:
“With Chris Godwin heading toward free agency and Mike Evans entering his 12th NFL season, the Buccaneers continue to replenish the receiver room with a skilled pass catcher who offers a mature game. Egbuka is a fluid athlete with strong hands and polished route-running skills, giving Tampa Bay another young weapon alongside 2024 third-rounder Jalen McMillan.”
To see what type of prospect the Bucs would be getting with this selection, here is the PFSNs scouting report on him.
Ohio State produces elite wide receivers in what feels like a yearly basis, so it is no surprise to see them with another receiver drafted in the first round this year. That said, Egbuka is not the first receiver selected in this mock, with Brooks having Arizona Wildcats’ Tetairoa McMillan going to the Raiders at sixth overall.
Opinions are somewhat mixed on Egbuka, as PFSNs mock draft has him going to the Kansas City Chiefs at pick No. 31 and the third receiver off the board. In that mock, the Panthers select McMillan at No. 8, and another WR, Luther Burden III, to the Broncos at No. 20.
In his writeup referenced earlier, Brooks makes an important note that the Bucs are going to need to figure something out at wide receiver this offseason, as Chris Godwin is projected to be an unrestricted free agent once free agency opens.
Even if Godwin is brought back, it is unclear how he will look as he is coming off of a catastrophic ankle injury that kept him out for the second half of the season and is expected to be a lengthy recovery.
Unsurprisingly, Bucs head coach Todd Bowles mentioned that WRs is one of the positions that he is focusing on at the combine, per Rick Stroud.
Edge rushers, cornerbacks, inside linebackers and receivers are the positions coach Todd Bowles says he will be focusing on during the combine.
— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) February 25, 2025
So, whether it is via the draft, free agency, or both, look for the Bucs to do something major at the wide receiver position this offseason.